Printing-roller-cleaning device.



c. A. FARR A B. A. DOVE v PRINTING ROLLER CLEANING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1917.

Patented Jan 15, 1918.

WITNESSES:

%TATE% PATENT]? i cnanrns A. man AND BASCOIVI A. nova, or DALLAS, rnxas.

PRINTING-ROLLEB-CLEANING DEVICE.

masses.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. raters.

Application filed March 1, 1917. Serial No. 151,789.

To all whom it may concern:

certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Roller-Cleaning Devices,of which ,the following is a specification.

This invention has particular relation to devices for cleaning rollers of lithographing presses.

Lithographing rollers are covered with grain leather and the ink used is thick and adheres to the roller covering. After the roller has been used with one color of ink and it is desired to use another color, the roller must be cleaned. The cleaning is usually performed by scraping 0d the old ink with a knife, a quantity of gasolene or other solvent being used. This method is both slow and laborous and requires about a quarter of an hour for each roller.

Our idea in overcoming these difiiculties and effecting the rapid cleaning of a roller involves means whereby the entire surface may be acted upon simultaneously or otherwise. The cleaning may be effectually carried out by providing a support for the roller and a suitable device which when passed over the surface of the roller. will remove all of the ink adhering thereto.

In carrying out the invention a support or holder for the roller is provided. If this support holds the roller vertical it should be pivoted so that the roller may be easily inverted. F or cleaning the roller a device or instrument is provided and formed at its center with an opening conforming to the contour of the roller, but slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the roller. The cleaning device is so constructed that the walls immediately surrounding the opening are flexible and capable of sutlicient expansion to permit the reception of the roller and a reciprocatory movement of the device longitudinally of the roller.

A particular embodiment of the cleaning device comprises a metal plate having a central opening and slits radiating from the opening whereby the metal surrounding the opening is formed into flexlble tongues or sectors. A handle rim surrounds the plate and makes it easy to grasp.

The invention will be more readily understood from a perusal of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which an example of the. invention is shown, and wherein: Figure l is a side elevation of a holder supporting aroller and showing the cleaner in position thereon' Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the cleaner,

F 3 is a plan View of the cleaner, and Fig. l is a sectional detail of the means for fastening the roller in the holder.

In the drawings the numeral 1, designates an upright base or support on which an elongated plate member 2 is pivoted at its center as indicated at 3. The normal position of the member 2, which may be called a roller holder, is vertical and friction blocks 4 are provided on the support and engaged by the plate so that the latter will remain in its upright position. The plate has outwardly projecting angular brackets 5 and 6, respectively, one at each end. The bracket 5 is formed with an opening so that the trunnion of the roller A may be dropped thereinto; while the bracket 6 at the 0ppo site end has a jaw into which the other trunnion may be inserted. A latch 7 is pivoted in the jaw as is shown in Fig. 4 and may be swung across to hold the trunnion therein. A spring keeper 8 on the other side of the jaw is engaged by the end of the latch and retains the latter.

For cleaning the roller a device is provided which comprises a metal plate 9 preferably formed of resilient material. For the purpose of illustration this plate has been shown in a circular form. At the center a circular opening 10 is made and given a diameter a fraction of an inch less than that of the roller with which the plate is to be used. The outer edge or margin of the plate is clamped between rim sections 11 which are united by screws 12 threaded into sleeves 18 passing through the plate. A smooth rim of wood or other material is thus provided and the edge of the plate is concealed so that the operator may take a firm grip on the cleaning device without coming into contact with the metal plate.

A plurality of slits let in the plate 9 radiate from the opening 10 and terminate at the rim or adjacent thereto. These slits divide the interior area of the plate into a plurality of flexible tongues or sectors immediately surrounding the opening and capable of being sprung either up or down when the plate is held in a horizontal plane;

the roller, the sectors yielding upward. The

trunnion at one'end of the roller A is inserted in the bracket 5 and the trunnionat the opposite end is placed in the jaw of the bracketfi and fastened therein by thelatch 7. A small quantity of gasolene or other solvent is poured over the surface of the roller. The operator grasps the rim 11 and moves the cleaner down the roller, the edges 3 of the sectors surrounding the opening 10 closely embracing the roller and scraping the ink therefrom. When the bottom of the roller is reached the holder is swung upon the pivot 3 whereby the roller is in- .verted and the cleaner is again at the top and may be moved down and thus recipro- Gopics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

cated over the surface. The roller may be swung as many tlmes as is necessary, but experience has shown that only a few rec1pro cations of the cleaner are requlred and a roller may be easily cleaned in one mlnute.

.-.Wh t; e claim is: V

1- In a printmg roller cleaning device, a

anemb er having aroller receiving opening and a plurality of yleldable scraping sectors immediately surroundingthe opening.

i 2. In a-printing roller cleaning device, a

member having a roller receiving opening nd including a plurality ofyieldable scraping sectors immediately surrounding the f opening, anda handle rnn surrounding the -mcmber.

In testimony whereof We aflizt our signa turesp i 4 CHARLES A. FARR.

BASVCOM A. DOVE.

Washington, D. G. 

